


Father

by aviatordame



Category: Hyrule Warriors: Age of Calamity (Video Game)
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-20
Updated: 2021-01-20
Packaged: 2021-03-12 03:48:49
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,691
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28879002
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/aviatordame/pseuds/aviatordame
Summary: King Rhoam requests the presence of his royal advisor. His royal advisor listens.[Pre-Age of Calamity]
Comments: 3
Kudos: 21





	Father

The castle is quiet.

Lonely.

A doom shudders off the walls, and the candles do little to light the inevitable darkness shrouding the coming years. If they have years. Sometimes, he wonders whether they have months. The prophecies may have lied; if the Calamity is to unleash on his daughter’s seventeenth birthday, or before.

It needn’t matter.

Because the poor child does not stand a chance. It is hard not to loathe the very Goddess she allegedly embodies. This cruel fate put before them. An inevitable death awaits the kingdom, and King Rhoam finds that all he can do, is wait. There is something horrific about not being able to _help_ his child. She is terribly young, and the whole world demands her to split the heavens open, to reveal her true self; a monster.

A weapon.

The day the princess was born, her purpose was immediately made clear: to kill.

And if Zelda is incapable of _doing what she must_ , then Rhoam will lose her. The king would give his _life_ , just so Zelda’s can be spared. Yet, he knows that, despite his efforts and prayers, he is useless in the game. The Goddesses laugh, move them across the board like chess pieces and his daughter the victim. They punish her for being alive. Rhoam does not recall the legends being so harsh on a girl.

Today, he rebuked her; accused his daughter of spending too much time reading, and not enough time attempting to access her currently dormant powers. This is not the first time Rhoam has disciplined his daughter in such a manner. The horror in knowing she may die, _that she will definitely die_ , frightens him. He is haunted by that fact every day; so much so, he can’t even _look_ at her, the shame of forcing his young daughter to be something she is not _—_ he would rather die.

The door to his office opens, then closes.

Rhoam had asked for his royal advisor’s presence, and, as expected, she arrives promptly.

She, too, is young, but her childhood has carved her with steel; not surrounded by luxury and servants. More interested in the practicalities in life, than the material. Perhaps that is common with the sheikah tribe, although this one in particular has always fascinated him. In fact, Rhoam finds her not only methodical, but amusing at times; his royal advisor doesn’t take things too seriously, which can be a relief.

It must be an odd sight, witnessing Rhoam without his signature robes.

The king appears retired in himself, his shoulders slumped, a heavy reluctance in his eyes as he steps past her, and over towards the window. Neither speak. She is patient, waiting for her king to find the appropriate words, but he doesn’t know where to start. In a sense, he isn’t entirely sure why he asked her to be here.

Or, more accurately, Rhoam does not want to admit to it.

‘Have you seen her today?’

Even his voice does not reflect his usual demeanour.

Impa, however, respects his privacy; she doesn’t allow herself to think _too_ much into his bizarre mannerisms.

A depressed aura, crushing down on his body.

Of course Rhoam is referring to his daughter. Princess Zelda, a fifteen year old adolescent, who would rather have her head in a book than acknowledge her own fate. Not that Impa particularly blames her. The pressure must be unspeakable, yet she also feels for Rhoam. Considering Impa spends most of her days with him, her empathy for the king doesn’t come as a surprise.

Yet, the dynamic between Zelda and Rhoam is extremely complex.

Irreparable.

‘Briefly, Your Majesty.’

‘And?’

Impa would never lie to the king, but she respects the fact he is human. A father, who wants nothing more than to protect his baby. She decides to soften the blow. ‘Coping, sir. She was quite chatty earlier, actually.’

That’s _one_ way to describe it.

Zelda was angry.

Livid.

(She was upset.)

Although Zelda was apologetic afterwards, she had expressed her temper onto Impa. It didn’t deter Impa one bit _—_ she’s endured worse, after all. But, perhaps, considering Impa is always present with the king, Impa is the closest Zelda can come to associate with her father. She isn’t afraid of Impa, so she _can_ let it out on her. However, from Impa’s own silent observations of the two of them, Zelda is petrified of her father.

Which Rhoam also feels for her. He isn’t scared _of_ Zelda per say, but of what she can and cannot do. The uncertain future which lies before her. Rhoam feels completely out of control, which, for a king, is very difficult to accept.

‘I wonder _—_ ’ he sighs, ‘ _—_ what she must think of me.’

Admittedly, this is beyond Impa to say.

So she wisely chooses to just listen.

‘I hope _—_ I _pray_ , she knows the truth.’

The king goes silent again. He abandons the window, and rounds his desk. Fist clenched, he stares down at the floor, wondering, thinking; his head filled with regret and sadness. His eyes briefly flick towards his advisor, and a soft, sad chuckle passes him. In a sense, he wishes Zelda was more like Impa.

At least, then, she has a marginal chance of survival.

‘When her mother passed away, I was aware of the toll her death would have on my daughter. They were very fond of each other, after all.’ A pause. ‘Heart attack. She was gone. Sometimes, I wonder if she ever truly existed. Yet, every time I look at Zelda, all I see is her _—_ and me, helpless. I could not save her mother, just as I cannot save my daughter now. What kind of father must you think of me?’

It is hard to ascertain whether that question is rhetorical.

Never has the king been so _open_ before, and, admittedly, Impa is slightly uncomfortable. People don’t really confide in her, and she is awful at dealing with emotions. Her usual attempt to diffuse a situation like this is to change the subject, but she can’t do that with the king. Then again, perhaps the king does not seek advice, but somebody to hear him out. After all, what kind of king has anything _truly_ to say?

Impa has never asked about the late queen. In fact, she has heard stories about her, and they are magical. The people _love_ the dead queen, which only adds further pressure onto Zelda to not only live up to her mother, but the Goddess Hylia as well. It’s a contradictory expectation: how can one be incredibly human yet ultimately divine simultaneously? Surely such a concept, such an entity, does not exist.

‘Before she died, she always sang this lullaby to Zelda. Every time she fell asleep. It was the only way to calm Zelda down _—_ she was a _restless_ child, constantly on the move; agitated often. We were worried something was wrong, until it became clear to me my daughter knows what is expected of her. What impact does that level of stress do to an infant’s mind? Who do they become?’

As far as Impa is concerned, Zelda could not be more wonderful.

Yes, she is tense a lot of the time, and she has a foul temper, but she is a _good_ person. King Rhoam need not worry about that. But, his concerns, she knows, go deeper than mere personality. What happens to her spirit, her soul; everything that makes her _human_? Will that all be shed away?

Rhoam grimaces briefly. The amount of worries and questions he has, constantly crushing his skull.

‘Sometimes I regret ever having a child _—_ ’

His voice cracks; a temporarily relapse in his powerful façade.

The guilt is overwhelming.

‘If only to spare my poor little girl.’

Then, Impa sees it.

A tear.

It comes and goes quickly, and she never thought she would ever witness the king cry.

But, as expected, he doesn’t weep. The break is quick, and it’s gone before Impa can truly register what occurred.

Rhoam steps over towards his loyal servant. He is a giant before her, and it’s hard not to be in awe of His Majesty. Impa can see him in Zelda, as much as the two struggle to see it themselves. That might, that stubbornness to be nothing less than indestructible, and yet so vulnerable at heart.

‘I don’t know what will happen,’ he says, his voice normal again. Presence like that of thunder. ‘I don’t know what will happen to _me_.’ Impa frowns slightly, having a vague idea where Rhoam is going with this. He drops his head, breathes, and it becomes transparent to her what he wants to ask, but simply can’t.

So, she says, ‘With my life, sir.’

_With my life, I will protect her._

Rhoam nods shortly. Then, rests his heavy hand on her shoulder _—_ it only lasts a second, but it is a gesture Impa can’t quite fathom. Rhoam never touches his subjects, let alone his staff. A barrier, however, has indeed been torn between them. The king has exposed a part of him not even his own daughter has witnessed.

In legend, kings do not cry.

This isn’t a legend, though. This is real.

This is very different to what the legends preach.

‘And, if the day ever were to come, please: let her know.’

 _Tell her I love her, and that I have always loved her_.

Impa says nothing as the king turns away, returning to stand by his desk. Subconsciously, she holds onto the handle of her kodachi. King Rhoam need not express further: it is no longer His Majesty whom is Impa’s priority, but his daughter. The swift transition is very clear to her, and the king need not worry about Zelda’s safety anymore.

And neither shall mention today.

‘You may retire,’ Rhoam allows. He faces the window again, almost motionless as he gazes at a kingdom he is supposedly proud to rule.

Impa does as commanded.

The sheikah warrior leaves as promptly as she arrived.

Rhoam thinks of his lost love, the men and women who serve him, and his forsaken child, ready for slaughter.

**Author's Note:**

> I may include this as a prequel to _Wretched_. Anyway, this idea just hit me while I was on a walk, and I just had to write it down. I fear I don't give King Rhoam enough justice in my fics, and I wanted to find context as to why Impa is sympathetic of Zelda's father, even when Zelda rants to her about him in my fic. 
> 
> Zelda and Rhoam's relationship is extremely complicated, and they're clearly not close. The hows and whys, of course, are not so black-and-white.
> 
> To be honest, Impa and Rhoam share an interesting bond, which I wish was fleshed out more in the game. 
> 
> Thank you for reading. I am sure I will write more on these two in the near future. (Although, I have been thinking about a chaptered prequel to _Wretched_ for some time, so that may happen instead.)


End file.
